Dani At Hogwarts
by RukbatLupa
Summary: PG for innuendo. Dani is a muggle transfer at Hogwarts, who in less than a month, captures the attentions of a certain Slytherin. Will Draco be able to finally say the three words everyone thinks him incapable of? Most likely.


Okay! Romance-y type fic where no one dies! Honest! Some pointers and key: 

*blah*- Means a thought.

^Blah-blah^-means a journal entry

~*~- Means change of POV/ or time passage. 

I do not own HP, I do, however, own Dani and 'Magical September.' Enjoy!

  
  


^Dear Journal, August 31st

I've never really kept a journal before, so you'll excuse me if I suck at it. The train -yes, train- I'm on is kind of bumpy, so if the letters are jolty, you'll know who to blame it on! I'm going to this school -Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry- and I'm fairly excited. Mostly nervous. I've only read my schoolbooks and I'm so amazed at all the things I'm supposed to be able to do. The Magical Government said I would be the only one allowed to practice magic over the summer. I still can't believe it.

  
  


My family isn't what you'd call usual. Mom, dad, and I all have abilities that are considered 'psychic'. I didn't know it was a sign of magic, though in retrospect it seems logical. Sorry. I always sound really dumb when I'm writing down my thoughts. I'm better at writing stories. Oops- someone just came into my compartment. Gotta go.^

  
  


~*~

Harry Potter entered the compartment and saw a brown-haired girl that seemed to be built along Crabbe and Goyle's lines. "Hullo."

"Hi! I'm Danica Nacine." She held out a hand. Harry took it. 

"Harry Potter." 

"That's a nice name. 'One with the strength of armies of the clay craftsmen'." 

"I beg your pardon?" The girl laughed.

"You have it. That's what your name means. Mine is 'light of the morning'. But that's just Danica. I don't know what 'Nacine' means."

"Wow. Your hobby?"

"One of them." She held up a journal. "Mom and Dad gave me this. Said I should write down everything of interest that happens at Hogwarts. I somehow think I'll need a bigger journal."

"Yeah, you will." A tall boy entered the compartment. "Hey, Ron."

"Hi, Harry." He noticed Danica. "Hello. Ron Weasely."

"King's counselor of the burrowing rodentia, hm?"

"What?"

"Her hobby." Harry explained. "What your name means." 

"Interesting." Ron felt a sudden jerk from somewhere in his stomach. *She's pretty. Built kinda like mum, but . . . pretty.* The door of the compartment opened yet again. A girl with bushy brown hair and a nice smile walked in, accompanied by a redheaded girl with brown eyes that glittered when she smiled. "Hello, 'Mione. Ginny. This is . . ." He paused. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Danica Nacine." The girl smiled, and went back to writing in her journal as 'Mione struck up a conversation.

  
  


^August 31st, Later.

I think I just made some new friends. Ron and Ginny both have red hair. Harry has black hair and the prettiest eyes. Such a nice green. Hermione has nut-brown hair. They're talking about Quidditch, whatever that is. Sounds like a spectator sport. Ginny keeps looking at me nervously. There, I just smiled at her. She's coming over. Gotta go. AGAIN. (!)^

  
  


"Hullo. I don't believe we've been really introduced. I'm Ginny Weasely."

"Danica Nacine. Are you related to Ron, by any chance?"

"He's my older brother." Ginny sighed. 

"Is he a bad person or something?" Danica asked gently.

"No! I just . . . I have six older brothers, and it's kind of hard being the only girl in the family."

"Six brothers! My gosh. Your mom is a very strong woman."

"Yep. There's Bill, he's thirty; then there's Charlie, he's twenty-five; Percy, he's twenty-one; Fred and George, the twins, are nineteen; Ron's sixteen this January; then me at fifteen."

"There's me at sixteen this December in my family. That's it."

"I envy you."

"You shouldn't. It really sucks being an only child. For one, no one to blame anything that goes wrong on." They both giggled. "Really, I don't mind it either way."

"You write a journal?"

"Mom and Dad want me to write down interesting things that happen at Hogwarts." Ginny looked at the book. 

"You'll need a bigger journal." 

  
  


^September 3rd 

She wasn't kidding. Mail is delivered by owls in the morning. The Sorting was interesting. I was the only one sorted who wasn't eleven or thereabouts. It's all right though. I was sorted into Gryffindor house, with Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. I'm sharing a dormitory with Hermione, and two other girls named Parvati and Lavender. The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is one of Ginny's older brothers. Ron wasn't too pleased about that, but Professor Weasley seems qualified for the job. He's very classically attractive. Long red hair, well-tanned, muscles like a swimmer. I should know. I was on the swim team last year. Didn't win anything, but that's beside the point. I'm in my dormitory now, and Hermione's getting ready for bed. Maybe I should be socializing instead of writing.^

  
  


"Hermione? Do you think Professor Weasley could be considered attractive?"

"Yes, I suppose so. You have a crush?"

"NO! I was just asking. I go more for a bit stocky, anyway."

"You'd like Fred and George. They're stocky, and they'll make you laugh."

"And they're about three years older than I. No, thank you. My research indicates what guys that age are thinking about." 

"Are you kidding me? What guys of any age are thinking about!"

"Like what my mom says: 98% do it, 2% lie."

  
  


^September 15th 

'Mione's a great chum and all, but I can really confide in Harry. He was raised in the "Muggle" (Non-magical) world himself, and so can explain a lot to me. Potions is my favorite class, a rarity in any house but Slytherin. I just love the subtleties of a potion, the little power trip in making a poison or acuity potion. It's weird. Defense Against the Dark Arts comes in at a close second, though. Professor Weasely knows a lot about his field, curse-breaking. More on Harry. He and I were talking the other day, after Charms on Friday, actually.^

  
  


"You know, I think I may be getting the hang of this school." Danica said, putting some spaghetti on her plate.

"Or it's getting the hang of you. Myrtle doesn't even cry around you." Harry said, his cheeks feeling hot all of a sudden.

"Because I talk to her. It's just like with a live girl. You only need to let them open up a little bit." Hogwarts HAD noticed some changes since Danica's arrival. Peeves was actually civil to her, and the house-elves adored every move she made. Dobby was practically her personal servant, though he still doted on Harry and Ron. She didn't see why everyone liked her. She was just treating everyone civilly. Even Malfoy. 

"Evening, Nacine." Was it just Harry or did he see a smile behind Malfoy's smirk?

"Good Evening, Malfoy. How are you doing?" She smiled prettily and turned her full attention to what Malfoy might have to say.

"I need to talk to you. Alone." He barely spoke above a whisper, but the message got across.

"After dinner in the Entrance Hall all right with you?" Danica asked. If he wasn't hallucinating, Harry saw a glimmer of hope in Malfoy's eyes.

"MM." Noncommital. Malfoy swept off. 

  
  


"I don't like him at all." Harry said, eating some fried chicken.

"That's your opinion, and you are entitled to it. It doesn't mean I have to agree with you." If it had been anyone but his -'beloved', as Parvati said,- Dani, Harry would have decked them.

"I'm just stating it, then. I-" *Bloody Hell! I almost said that! I almost said 'I love you' . . .? WHY? Do I?* Harry's mind was awhirl with thoughts. What came out was "I don't want to see any of my friends hurt."

"Thanks, Harry. I care for you, too." With that and a pat on his hand, she had finished her dinner, she got up. 

  
  


Outside in the Entrance Hall, she didn't have to wait long for Draco Malfoy. He got out his wand, and muttered "Floris." 

"What does that-" Dani gasped as beautiful flowers popped out of the wand. 

"For you." He offered them, and she accepted. 

"They're beautiful. Cornflowers, roses, tiger lilies, and . . ." She smiled at him. "Forget-me-nots. Are you trying to tell me something?" Her voice was softly astonished, and her eyes on him and him alone.

"Yes." He moved toward her and took one of her hands. He didn't notice Harry and Ron walking out of the Great Hall. "Over the past few weeks, you've impressed me with your wit and astonished me with your ability to accept things as they are, yet still strive for something better. It's truly . . . inspiring." Dani blushed.

"I'm not all of that." Draco drew his face closer to hers.

"Oh, yes . . . you are." Draco's silver-blonde hair glinted in the moonlight, which was so close in color to his suddenly kind and doting eyes. "If I could have one boon of you, it would be . . ." He paused.

"Would be . . ." Dani prompted, wetting her lips in nervousness. 

"A kiss. From you. Nothing more." As Harry screamed inside in his teenage-boy-agony, as Ron's fists clenched in impotent fury, and as Draco's heart raced with satisfaction and excitement, Dani's lips met Draco's, and the boon was granted.

  
  


^September 30th 

Well, it happened. I got my first kiss. Draco was so gentle about it. I know he's been wanting to do it for some time, but it was nice for him to be a gentleman about it. Harry's really angry at me now. He saw it. I saw him come into the hall, but I didn't tell Draco. I didn't have the chutzpah** to speak up. I'm such an idiot. So ends my first month at Hogwarts. My best friend is mad at me for kissing his sworn enemy, and Hermione's taking their side. Ginny informs me this is the first time she's ever taken a side. Well, she informed me as much before beginning her silent treatment. I can understand why Ron and Hermione are mad at me, but Ginny . . .?^ ((A/N: ** Chutzpah- courage, stuff, nerve, etc.))

  
  


^I found out why Ginny hates me now. She has had this little 'thing' for Harry since she first saw the boy. It's only logical. Draco wants to meet me again. Tonight, on the Quidditch Pitch. I wonder what he's got in store . . .^ 

  
  


Draco stood on the pitch, the grass blowing against the rather expensive loafers he hated wearing, but his father insisted on. He preferred to go barefoot, to feel the grass on his feet, the rain on his skin. It was what Dani called an 'Indian Summer' the last warm spell before winter set in, and a fine mist was gently . . . misting. The moon above made the beads of water in his hair sparkle as he turned. "Draco? I'm here."

He stood motionless, turning so that only his eyes could speak to her. He felt poetic, here in the moonlight. Poetic and safe. Dani came up to him. "You wanted to see me?" Her normally flushed cheeks were glowing from exertion. *Has she run, coming to see me?* Draco would have loved to think that. Someone actually wanting to see him.

"I did. There's something I want you to see." He pulled a broomstick out of the shadows. 

"It's a broom. You want me to clean something?"

"No." He laughed gently and mounted. "Get on."

"You're serious?" She laughed nervously and obeyed. 

"Hold on." Arms wrapped gently around his waist as he kicked off. Then they tightened. Looking back as they rose to just past a hundred feet, He noticed that her eyes were closed. "Open your eyes. You're missing it." Almost against her will, Dani's eyes opened. 

  
  


Hogwarts lay underneath her, its beautiful towers and turrets glowing with warm light. "Oh, it's . . . breathtaking."

"Like the young woman who spoke those words." Draco said, feeling at his poetic best. He'd never liked flying before tonight. "I knew you'd like this."

"This reminds me of a poem I wrote."

"Really? Say it." So Dani began.

  
  


****The stars wink a salutation as I fly above

this place, so precious to me 

this place so full of love.

  
  


Welcome sister,

welcome friend,

welcome home at last.

  
  


Learn well here the endless wonders of an ancient past.

  
  


Welcome home

come into my arms

Never forget me, remember

This magic night,

this magic eve

this magical September.****

  
  


Draco felt a tear streak down his cheek. It was beautiful, the way the night had passed so quickly, the words, and her voice. Settling down on the pitch once more, he dismounted his broom carefully, and waited patiently as she slowly came down from it as well. "It was beautiful. I didn't-" he cleared his throat. "-I didn't know you wrote, besides in that journal."

"Thank you. Yes, I write stories and poems. Some songs."

"You are truly a wonder." He banished the broom to the shed and took her head in his hands. 

"No. I'm not."

"Such beautiful eyes, Danica. Why can they only see what you are not? If they could only see what I see. What you are." With a final breath, and a final resignation to whatever his estimable father might think, he said the next just as passionately as if they had just been with each other, in the ages-old dance of joining. 

"I love you, for all you are. Now I ask you to love me, despite what I have been, and help me become who I am." With this, and so much more, their lips met, and as the wind stirred Danica's hair, her namesake broke into the deep blue velvet of the sky. 

  
  


**********"Such bright eyes, Oreda. What will you call her?"

"I don't rightly know, sister. The day is breaking. The beginning of a new light in the world, a new life." A pause. The larks silenced as the 'household' dragon peeped in, a common thing on a dragon preserve. Dragons adopted the houses of their caretakers, and would not allow any harm to come to their family. "Danica. The light of the morning. It suits, does it not, Great One?" The massive head paused a moment . . . and nodded assent. 

~Danica. Light of the morning.~********** 

  
  


*And for Draco and I, the light of a new life . . .* 


End file.
